Middleton Sandy, Gardner Anne, Gardner Glenn, Della Phillip R
Australian Catholic University, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia.
Aust Health Rev. 2011 Nov;35(4):448-54. doi: 10.1071/AH10987.
To profile Australian nurse practitioners and their practice in 2009 and compare results with a similar 2007 census. METHODS; Self-administered questionnaire.
A total of 293 nurse practitioners responded (response rate 76.3%). The majority were female (n=229, 81.2%); mean age was 47.3 years (s.d.=8.1). As in 2007, emergency nurse practitioners represented the largest clinical specialty (n=63, 30.3%). A majority practiced in a metropolitan area (n=133, 64.3%); a decrease from 2007. Consistent with 2007, only 71.5% (n=208) were employed as a nurse practitioner and 22.8% (n=46) were awaiting approval for some or all of their clinical protocols. Demographic data, allocations of tasks, and patterns of practice remained consistent with 2007 results. 'No Medicare provider number' (n=182, 91.0%), 'no authority to prescribe using the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme' (n=182, 89.6%) and 'lack of organisational support' (n=105, 52.2%) were reported as 'limiting' or 'extremely limiting' to practice.
Our results demonstrate less than satisfactory uptake of the nurse practitioner role despite authorisation. Barriers constraining nurse practitioner practice reduced but remained unacceptably high. Adequate professional and political support is necessary to ensure the efficacy and sustainability of this clinical role.
了解2009年澳大利亚执业护士及其执业情况，并将结果与2007年类似的普查结果进行比较。方法：采用自填式问卷。
共有293名执业护士做出回应（回应率为76.3%）。大多数为女性（n = 229，81.2%）；平均年龄为47.3岁（标准差 = 8.1）。与2007年一样，急诊执业护士占最大的临床专业领域（n = 63，30.3%）。大多数人在大都市地区执业（n = 133，64.3%）；较2007年有所下降。与2007年一致，只有71.5%（n = 208）受雇为执业护士，22.8%（n = 46）正在等待部分或全部临床方案的批准。人口统计学数据、任务分配和执业模式与2007年的结果保持一致。“没有医疗保险提供者编号”（n = 182，91.0%）、“没有使用药品福利计划开药的授权”（n = 182，89.6%）和“缺乏组织支持”（n = 105，52.2%）被报告为对执业“有限制”或“有极大限制”。
我们的结果表明，尽管获得了授权，但执业护士这一角色的接受程度仍不尽人意。限制执业护士执业的障碍有所减少，但仍高得令人无法接受。需要足够的专业和政治支持，以确保这一临床角色的有效性和可持续性。
